Battle of the Dinosaurs - Race to Extinction

[Jack Hughes]

Errr. It is the training log, sort of.

training

I don't have a plan. That will wait until nearer the dates of next years events. What I do have is a strategy.

- have fun
- keep consistency
- gently increase the number of sessions.

I have to admit I have failed to go swimming. Unfortunately, the location of the pool, hotel, and client site and pool opening times mean that it is impractical. I would only get 10 mins in the water. There is a confidence thing going on too, possibly.

I have had some nice runs - being away from home means this is a running week. A session with a slow km, a km above 5km race pace, a slower km etc for 5km. I was rather tired and this was hard work. Meant to run at 5mins/km for the slow ones, and 4 min per km for the fast ones. Missed the fast time a bit (although waiting to cross streets probably meant the intensity was there. But the middle km was too slow.

That was Monday. Also ran on Tuesday. Was going to go longer and slower, but that was too boring. So decided to run the first and last km at 5 min pace, with each one in between faster than the others. Did that ok. Endo giving me a best 5km time of 22 mins. So ok really.

Tempted to run yesterday, but logistics meant I didn't have the time. So took a Boris bike out for a 30min ride from hotel to restaurant.

[kfjatek]

I have to admit I have failed to go swimming. Unfortunately, the location of the pool, hotel, and client site and pool opening times mean that it is impractical. I would only get 10 mins in the water. There is a confidence thing going on too, possibly.

Wuss. Excuses excuses - you're falling back to what you're more comfortable with ("I've had some nice runs") )instead of facing the challenge head-on. It's a matter of setting up priorities - if you don't have time for swimming, make it.

I should be a prison warden or sth.

[Jack Hughes]

I have to admit I have failed to go swimming. Unfortunately, the location of the pool, hotel, and client site and pool opening times mean that it is impractical. I would only get 10 mins in the water. There is a confidence thing going on too, possibly.

Wuss. Excuses excuses - you're falling back to what you're more comfortable with ("I've had some nice runs") )instead of facing the challenge head-on. It's a matter of setting up priorities - if you don't have time for swimming, make it.

I should be a prison warden or shot.

Yeah. I don't disagree, but I refer you back to point 1 of the strategy. You bung everything on to the scales: fun, fear, pressure etc and see what comes out. ...

[kfjatek]

I should be a prison warden or shot.

Perhaps. But then, don't shoot the messenger, I just write what I see.

[Jack Hughes]

Ha ha!

[Jack Hughes]

OK, a week with a focus on running. Stuck down in London near Tower Bridge. The travel meant that Sunday was a rest day, rather than Monday.

Had the long SLOW run on the Thursday. The aim was to try to run for an hour at around 5:30/km pace. Put in some strides for about 30 secs in a few places. It was hot. And my legs felt really heavy. Got a bit lost in Canary wharf. It was a hot evening, and lots of folk where out eating, drinking and smoking. Had to slow down to wade through them, looking for the Thames Path. So that was a 7:30 km. Got back on pace and did the hour (well, just short, got back a bit early, bunged a loop on which took it up to 10k), and managed 5:22/km according to Strava. Which will do, possibly a bit quick.


Got back rather late on Friday, so that was always going to be a rest day.

Pleased to find out that I had lost another pound - focus on not eating too much and no alcohol FTW. However, I was massively dehydrated.

Finished off the week with Park Run.. and my new shoes had arrived...

Weight was still 12st 11lbs, so had a pound down on the week, and 5lbs lighter than a fortnight ago, when I last did the park run.

So:
The weather was windier, but cooler.
The shoes were new, slightly heavier, but slighty more cushioned.
I was 5lbs lighter.
I was far tireder and still quite hydrated (black tones on skin under eyes).
I didn't sleep that well
But I decided to adopt a pacing strategy more suited to my current level of fitness (i.e. start off about 15 secs slower than the previous one).

Finished just off the season's best - and probably a good 80 seconds faster than a fortnight ago.

A nicely paced race - couldn't have gone much faster, and the shoes worked out very nicely. So I will write a Kit Review for them.

This week will be a cycling week. Plus focus on not eating too much.

My right leg, hamstring down to the back of the knee is my main worry at the moment. Might see if I can find a decent physio to have a look at me. I've not been able to lift my left arm up above my head without pain. Which is a bit of a concern. Won't stop me cycling or running though

The missus is threatening to make some cakes this week. So, come over for a bike ride and a slice, to save me from myself.

[kfjatek]

OK, a week with a focus on running.

This week will be a cycling week.

...

[Jack Hughes]

Ok.

A cycling TT in a few weeks time
An MTB marathon in the middle of September
Another mTB marathon in October
A 10k road race in November
Fell runs in October, November, December, January and feb
Duathlon in march.
TT in March.
Hell of the worth in September and/or march.

Triathlon in April.

And you think the focus should on Swimming? In the third week of August?

[kfjatek]

I'm just teasing.

But - swimming IS the most technique-driven of the three, and good technique ISN'T built over a couple of weeks of 'focus', and swimming IS the sport you haven't touched for ever so you WILL be slower than you used to be, and unlike cycling or running it IS the sport you CAN'T be competitive against jon.e off little to no training, and I'm pretty sure he IS working on his freestyle even if the closest swimming-related incident isn't on for another few months.

Not saying you should focus on swimming. Just saying it *should* become a regular item in your training week sooner rather than later.

[Jack Hughes]

You will make a wonderful grandmother one day.